


Dampened Lilacs in Silver Light

by HazelnutShippingCo



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Kisses, Lilacs, M/M, Pre-Darkening, Rain, Romance, Valinor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 08:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7750735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelnutShippingCo/pseuds/HazelnutShippingCo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A bit of pre-darkening russingon.<br/>Written on a day when the air smelled fresh from rain and lilacs blooming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dampened Lilacs in Silver Light

The hill formed an outcrop, under which they took shelter, as the rain continued to pour over the wood, shimmering silver in Telperion’s light.  Lilacs nestled against the shallow cave, in full bloom now, their sweet scent mingling with the damp, their pale lavender hue glimmering with wet droplets, reflecting in Findekáno’s soft grey eyes as he gently panted, catching his breath from having run to escape being entirely drenched.  They had only partially succeeded.  Maitimo’s tunic clung to him damply.  He watched as Findekáno’s fingers began work, undoing the braids of his dark hair and ringing the tresses of the water they had collected.

“Maitimo, would you hold these please,” Findekáno asked politely, handing him several slick silken ribbons.  Findekáno ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head gently.  Tight waves of hair loosened, pulled down by water weight; they fell softly about his shoulders.

“We may be stuck here a while,” Findekáno observed, glancing up at the overcast sky from which rain continued to fall steadily.  A smile graced his face as he turned back to Maitimo.  “Not that I mind, of course.”  His hand brushed against Maitimo’s as he reached to take back his ribbons.  Though it was difficult to see in the dim light, Maitimo thought that Findekáno blushed at the touch.  Or perhaps he was simply projecting, as he felt his own face warmed.

Taking his hand, Findekáno drew Maitimo down with him to sit side by side on the ground.  The grass was damp, but so were they, and it was soft beneath them.  Maitimo stretched out his long legs as he leaned back against the rocky wall behind him. Findekáno laid his head against Maitimo’s shoulder, his hand still clasping his cousin’s, their fingers laced together.  Rain pattered down upon leaves in a loud hush of grey noise.  They watched the clouds move overhead beyond their sheltered grotto, lit from beneath as they rolled across the sky, edges blurred in silver.

It was peaceful, pleasant. The air was just warm enough to keep the damp from chilling them.  The two were alone in these woods, their only company the fragrant blossoms and silent birds, waiting as they were, in dappled dark green shadows cast by far off, muted silver.  Maitimo breathed deeply of the patterned quiet, resting comfortably with his cousin leaned against him.

“Do you think we could stay here?” Findekáno murmured after a time, his voice almost too low to make out over the rain.

“Is that not what we are doing?” Maitimo questioned back.

He felt Findekáno gently shaking his head against his shoulder.  “No, that’s not what I meant.  I mean, could we stay forever, just the two of us, out here in the forest?”

Maitimo did not answer him.

“We could, you know,” Findekáno continued, “live off the land, like our forebears before Oromë found them. We could hunt for our meals; I’m not bad with a bow.  And there are enough fruit trees about.  We could manage.”

“You mean run away together,” Maitimo interrupted him.

“Yes.”

Raindrops filled the silence that fell between them.

“Don’t you think you would miss them,” Maitimo asked at last, “your parents and siblings?”

Findekáno heaved a sigh; his grip tightened slightly over Maitimo’s hand.  “Of course I would miss them,” he conceded.  “But I miss you as well, when we are apart.  And it seems to me that I miss you more…”

Maitimo leaned his head down against Findekáno’s.  “And I miss you,” he murmured against Findekáno’s wet hair.  “But it wouldn’t work anyway.  They’d come and find us, make us go back.”

“You don’t know that.” Findekáno turned to look him in the eyes.  “We could hide away somewhere, keep out of sight.”

Maitimo frowned gently at him.  “My brother’s hound would sniff us out.”  Findekáno’s frown now mirrored Maitimo’s, and his gaze fell downward; he had heard of the dog Tyelkormo had received from Oromë.  Even if they did run away, there was no way they could stay hidden.  

Maitimo gently squeezed his cousin’s hand, reaching up with his other to touch Findekáno’s cheek in a gesture of comfort.  “But we’re here together now,” he soothed, “at least until this rain lets up.”

The soft smile returned to Findekáno’s face.  “Then I suppose we should make the most of this time that we have.”  Leaning up, he placed his lips against Maitimo’s.  Maitimo’s lips parted in response, taking Findekáno’s in a tender kiss.  His eyes closed as he felt warmth burn brightly on his cheeks again.  His hand cupped gently over Findekáno’s jaw.  

The kiss tasted sweeter than the lilacs’ fragrance, and they lingered over it slowly.  Then taking a breath, they took another, no less sweet. Findekáno let go Maitimo’s other hand, and Maitimo tangled it in Findekáno damp tresses.  He felt Findekáno’s hands come to rest upon his chest, pressing against him, urging him back and down into the grass.

Their lips parted briefly as Maitimo reclined onto the ground.  Findekáno leaned over him, dark hair falling as curtains to the sides of their faces, soft silver light slipping through the seams where damp tresses clung and parted, shifting as he moved to kiss Maitimo again.  

Findekáno smiled still as he drew his lips away.  “I love you,” he whispered, his forehead pressed gently against Maitimo’s.  

Maitimo tilted back his head to kiss Findekáno again in response.  “I love you,” he answered back, enjoying the warmth that lit Findekáno’s eyes as he voiced the words.  They kissed again, sweet, and long, and lingering, and Maitimo almost found himself wishing that they _could_ run away, that all their lives could be as this moment.

Findekáno drew away again. “The rain is stopping,” he noted, looking out into the woods, a hint of disappointment creeping into his voice.  Maitimo listened as the raindrops lessened, diminishing to infrequent drips.  A golden light had begun to mingle with the silver.  It glittered off the droplets on the lilac leaves.  He would be expected home soon.

Findekáno allowed himself to be displaced as Maitimo sat upright.  He seemed unwilling to meet Maitimo’s eyes, gazing out into the forest, his lips slightly pouted.  Maitimo wrapped an arm over Findekáno’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Are you sure we cannot stay?” Findekáno asked wistfully, eyes still lingering on the changing light.

“Findekáno,” Maitimo sighed gently.  He wrapped his arms around him, drew him close.  Findekáno sighed in turn, leaning into his embrace.  They lingered there, unwilling to part, until all silver had faded and gold shone alone.  Only then did Maitimo release him and stand.  Findekáno spoke no word as Maitimo helped him to his feet.  One last kiss they shared before leaving the grotto and turning to walk their separate ways.  

The scent of lilacs and fresh rain followed Maitimo on his path homeward.  Reaching into a pocket, he found the reason – Findekáno had surreptitiously gifted him with a handful of the aromatic florets, along with one of the golden ribbons he had worn in his hair.  Maitimo smiled as he ran his thumb over the shimmering silk.  These gifts he would keep, secret and treasured as the memories they held.  He longed for the day when they would no longer need to hide their feelings for each other, when their families might be reconciled and could come together to celebrate the love between them.  But in the meantime, they would continue like this, patience and hope their companions through long days apart, cherishing the moments they managed to share.


End file.
